Trump, Smithsonian Institution
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President Donald Trump has been moving to take greater control over the Smithsonian Institution and said earlier this week that the organization focuses too much on “how bad slavery was.”
President Trump's adviser leading a review of Smithsonian museums' content defended the move as shifting the focus to progress, rather than dwelling on past mistakes, and argued that the museums should be geared toward pride in America's growth.
Trump wrote: "The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future."
1don MSN
Trump calls Smithsonian 'OUT OF CONTROL' and orders sweeping review of all museums and programming
Trump orders sweeping Smithsonian review after blasting museums as “woke," vowing to reshape exhibits to emphasize unity, progress and American exceptionalism.
In April, the National Museum of African American History and Culture sparked controversy after it announced it would return several artifacts to their donors, including a Bible carried during a civil rights protest and Harriet Tubman’s book of hymns, NBC News reported.
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday he will pressure the Smithsonian Institution, a premier museum, education and research complex for U.S. history and culture, to accept his demands, just like he did with colleges and universities by threatening to cut federal funding.
Through its 21 museums, 21 libraries, 14 education and research centers and a zoo, the Smithsonian Institution’s collections are expansive and cover every aspect of U.S. history, including more than 200 years of slavery.
President Trump has changed his tune on the Smithsonian’s depiction of America’s past since he visited the National Museum of African American History in 2017. Following that visit to
President Trump has plunged once more into the nation’s cultural wars — this time with Washington’s famous Smithsonian Institution in his sights. As is often the case, the manner of Trump’s attack risks significant blowback,